1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the finishing and/or drying of wash or laundry through the utilization of steam as an energy carrier medium, and more particularly, through the use of only steam without the addition of air.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
German Petty Pat. No. 79 11 152 already discloses an arrangement for the smoothing of clothing articles, especially for the simultaneous drying and smooth finishing of washed clothing articles, including a treatment chamber in the form of a tunnel and a transport arrangement, wherein the clothing articles are treated in a steam zone through the intermediary of steam and air, and in the drying zone by means of hot air.
From German Laid-open patent application No. 28 41 886 there has become known a process for the finishing of washed textile articles constituted of a mixed textile fabric, in which the washed textile articles are subjected subsequent to the washing to steaming in a chamber also containing air components, and are subsequently dried by being exposed to air. In this known process, the textile articles are additionally subjected to hot water preceding the drying. Thereby, during finishing there should be effected not only the removal of ripples and crinkles in the fabric, but in addition thereto, there should also take place the removal or, in effect, smooth finishing of thermo-fixed folds.
In addition thereto, from German Laid-open patent application No. 29 39 817 there is also known an arrangement for the smooth finishing and drying of washed shaped articles from mixed fabrics, wherein the shaped articles are suspended in a moist condition, subjected to a stream of steam in an air-filled chamber, and dried in an air stream. The moist suspended shaped articles are slowly heated at a somewhat constant moisture, and thereafter mechanically smooth finished for a short period under a continual dispersed blown on stream of hot air and in that manner dry-shaped. For this purpose there are provided, in sequence, a steam chamber and a drying chamber. Provided in the wall of the steam chamber are openings for the introduction of steam and concurrently, nozzles for the introduction of hot air, whereas in the wall of the drying chamber there are merely present nozzles for the blowing in of hot air.
The core of the problem which is encountered during the finishing and drying of wash are a rapid heat transport and an ensured penetration of the wash with warmth and moisture up to the interior of the weave and sewing threads which, as is known, represent a fiber bundle.
As has already been mentioned hereinabove, this has heretofore been effected in that warm or hot air or a steam-air mixture is conveyed past the wash articles at a higher or lower speed. Based on commercial considerations, an acceleration of these procedures is extremely desirable. This can be effected through an increase in the temperature. However, such a temperature increase can quite easily lead to an excessive drying, or also to a singeing of the wash articles. Due to this reason, heretofore there had to be always selected a compromise between a rapid treatment of the wash and a possible adverse effect thereon through excessive drying or singeing.